Can anyone explain *why* Gold exists? It wasn’t a budget release (to my knowledge), it certainly isn’t a “hits” album, etc. Am I missing something really obvious about the release?
So - Greatest Hits was created to fill time between Aja and Gaucho. That meant that it didn't include any songs from Gaucho, and added a bonus track "Here At The Western World" to help sell the release. The theory is - Gold was "Greatest Hits 2" - and filled in some of the missing tracks that Greatest Hits didn't cover, including FM. There is no duplication between Greatest Hits and the original version of Gold. "Here At The Western World" was only added to the Expanded Edition. Cheers, Paul
The original track listing of Gold seems to have been more carefully thought out than it might first appear, as the tracks that were included were from the albums that were less represented in the Greatest Hits collection, other than Can't Buy a Thrill. Between the two releases (Greatest Hits and the original Gold), you end up with two tracks from Can't Buy a Thrill, four each from Countdown through Aja, two from Gaucho, topped off with "Here at the Western World" and "FM". I decided to go with the Gold Expanded Edition on vinyl because I really enjoy having "True Companion" and "Century's End" together on an LP. It irks me, though, that "Here in the Western World" was added as a bonus in this edition because it conceptually makes no sense to include it again (hence the confusion compared to the original release). As others have pointed out, "Time Out of Mind" would have made perfect sense as the 4th bonus track in the Expanded instead. Oh well.
IMO the Gold LP is totally Greatest Hits Vol. II, and it totally works as an album on its own; mind ya, it also helps that it contains some of my favourite Steely Dan songs ("Deacon Blues", "Babylon Sisters" and "Green Earrings" in particular) in one neat little package. Everything Must Go Thursday night.
Another reason it might exist is Fagen moving on to Warner Brothers. I can't remember, but Gold may have finished out their contract with MCA. Either that or it was MCA visiting the well to cash in on the upcoming Nightfly release.
I finally heard Kamakiriad for the first time. Well, I've listened to it twice now. I hope you don't mind me sharing my belated thoughts. I think part of the problem with it is the sequencing, which I know was carried out conceptually rather than purely musically. I like Trans-Island Skyway, but the two tracks that follow it, although nicely produced, are a little too similar and don't really go anywhere melodically (I do like the fadeout on Countermoon and the intro to Springtime, but those segments represent only a fraction of each song). After track three I was starting to worry that I *really* wasn't going to like this album. But then... ahhh... Snowbound. The 90s Steely Dan reunion song. I've known this one for a while and it's still sublime and perfect. Side two is far more consistent! Again, sequencing comes into play because although the concept ends at the Teahouse, as many have pointed out, On the Dunes would have been a more effective closer. Teahouse is OK; I just think it would work better as a middle track. Based on most of your reviews, I expected to like this far less than I did. I'm definitely more into jazz and melody than blues and groove. However, I quite liked this overall. It is clearly inferior to The Nightfly IMHO, but then, so are most other albums in the known universe. At some point I might cheat and substitute Century's End and Big Noise New York for tracks two and three, which wouldn't necessarily fit the concept but might balance out the musical experience a little better for me. Blasphemy, I know!
I think both Kamikiriad and Two Against Nature got stronger after the first few tracks - the midsections of each were the strongest parts to me. I really did enjoy Kamikiriad more than I thought.
You'll get yer wish- got a bit sidetracked this morning so I didn't get a chance to give Everything Must Go a listen, so I'm gonna hold off on moving on to that album for a day or two.
Received my box set today... for anyone who is interested this is nicely packaged ( well, it is nicely packaged even if you're not interested...). It is a hinged cardboard box with the albums in mini LP sleeves, the original CD booklets are separate in the box. The exceptions are "Sunken Condos" which is a gatefold sleeve with the booklet in one pocket/CD in the other and the "10 Extra Tracks" disc that has a separate one page insert of credits. Certainly a bargain at current prices. Years ago, the "Nightfly Trilogy" was released at a good price point and later was fetching high prices.
Well, I listened to it this morning, so let's carry on now: Wiki sez: Everything Must Go is the ninth and final album by American rock group Steely Dan. It was released on June 10, 2003, by Reprise Records, and was the band's second album following their 20-year studio hiatus spanning 1980 through 2000, when they released Two Against Nature. Background Everything Must Go was a departure from their previous release in that the arrangements were scaled back, the solos were kept tighter, and the album had a more overall live feel. It is also the only time that Walter Becker performed lead vocals on an official Steely Dan studio recording ("Slang of Ages"). It also featured Becker and Fagen as instrumentalists much more than some of their previous releases, especially their late 1970s work. Becker played bass on every song as well as contributing several of the guitar solos, and Fagen provided most of the keyboard work as well as the synthesizer solos. "Godwhacker" developed from a lyric Fagen wrote a few days after his mother died of Alzheimer's. "It's about an elite squad of assassins whose sole assignment is to find a way into heaven and take out God", he later explained. "If the Deity actually existed, what sane person wouldn't consider this to be justifiable homicide?" Review Everything Must Go received mixed reviews upon release. During a concert at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre on July 8, 2011, Donald Fagen said that he felt the album was "underrated".[18] Releases Everything Must Go was also released as a DVD-audio disc with a multichannel mix. A special two-disc edition of Everything Must Go (one CD, one DVD) was released. The DVD, 'Steely Dan Confessions', follows Becker and Fagen touring Las Vegas after hours in a taxi promoting the album in a special version of the cult HBO cable show Taxicab Confessions, hosted by cabbie Rita. Track listing All songs written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. "The Last Mall" – 3:36 "Things I Miss the Most" – 3:59 "Blues Beach" – 4:29 "Godwhacker" – 4:57 "Slang of Ages" – 4:15 "Green Book" – 5:55 "Pixeleen" – 4:01 "Lunch with Gina" – 4:27 "Everything Must Go" – 6:45 Personnel Steely Dan Donald Fagen – vocals, organ, synthesizer, piano, Hohner Clavinet, Fender Rhodes & Wurlitzer electric pianos, percussion Walter Becker – bass, lead guitar, percussion; vocals (on "Slang of Ages") Additional musicians Ted Baker – piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer Bill Charlap – piano, Fender Rhodes Jon Herington – guitar Hugh McCracken – guitar Keith Carlock – drums Gordon Gottlieb – percussion Kenneth Hitchcock – clarinet Walt Weiskopf – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone Chris Potter – tenor saxophone Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone Tony Kadleck – trumpet Michael Leonhart – trumpet Jim Pugh – trombone Ada Dyer – background vocals Tawatha Agee – background vocals Carolyn Leonhart – background vocals Cindy Mizelle – background vocals Catherine Russell – background vocals Brenda White-King – background vocals Production Producers: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen Engineers: Tom Doherty, Roger Nichols, Dave Russell, Elliot Scheiner Assistant engineers: Suzy Barrows, Tom Doherty, Steve Mazur, Keith Nelson, Todd Parker, Matt Scheiner Mixing: Elliot Scheiner Mixing assistant: Joe Peccerillo Mastering: Darcy Proper Editing: Larry Alexander Arrangers: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen Horn arrangements: Donald Fagen Technician: Sam Berd Drum technician: Art Smith Piano tuner: Sam Berd Charts Album Year Chart Position 2003 Billboard 200 9 2003 Top Internet Albums 7 2003 UK Album Chart 21
"Ninth and final album"...ouch. Anyway... Listening to Everything Must Go in its entirety this morning, it reminds me most of Sunken Condos (which only reinforces my belief that Sunken Condos should have been a Steely Dan album). Musically and soundwise I will give EMG the edge over 2vN simply by virtue of the fact that it’s a warm, analog recording that they cut more or less live in the studio with their touring band. On the plus side, Becker plays all the bass on the album and Fagen plays most of the keyboards himself, including quite a few keyboard solos. Jon Herington and Hugh McCracken provide rhythm guitars throughout…and it would have been nice if they’d played a few of the guitar solos as well; as on 2vN Walter’s solos get a bit repetitive over an entire album. Best of all, Keith Carlock is the sole drummer on the album…the first time Steely Dan had one drummer on a record since Countdown! The female backing singers take more of a central role on EMG, to the point of solo vocals on a couple of the tracks. Walter, of course takes his first lead vocal on “Slang Of Ages” (which would not be out of place on Circus Money). I think my biggest issue with Everything Must Go, at least lyrically, is how shallow some of the lyrics are. There’s not a lot of the snarky depth to these songs that we found on 2vN…not that every song needs to have some deep philosophical or sociological meaning, of course, but a lyric like “The Last Mall” seems like they knocked it off in about ten minutes. “Blues Beach” might have taken as many as twelve. And so on. “The Last Mall” – I think Brian Sweet had it right in the Reelin In The Years bio when he said something along the lines of “Steely Dan, the band who gave us such opening tracks as ‘Kid Charlemagne’ was now giving us…’The Last Mall’.” Not the best opener IMO. Becker’s bass and lead guitar aside, it sounds more like a solo Fagen track than Steely Dan. “The Things I Miss The Most” – This song sounds like they were trying to write a ‘classic’ Steely Dan song and just about succeeded. I believe the lyric was inspired by Becker’s divorce. A little bit too smooth sounding for my tastes. Fagen and the girls sing the “The talk…the sex” chorus with relish. “Blues Beach” – This tune seems to get a lot of stick but I’ve always liked it; I’d actually be inclined to say this is my wife’s favourite Steely Dan song. I like how Becker’s bass anchors the whole thing as well as the “long, sad Sunday of the early resigned” line. “Godwhacker” – I like this one too; quite the guitar riff they’ve got going on there. In spite of Donald’s explanation behind the lyric (see the Wiki article posted above) I interpret the song completely differently. Our forum guidelines don’t allow me to go into great detail, but suffice it to say that, given the context of the times the song was written and recorded (9/11 and its subsequent aftermath took place during the sessions) I’ve always reckoned “Godwhacker” to be a bit of a Bush-bashing song (the lyrical references to “Poppy” –i.e. George H.W. Bush make it seem like a dead giveaway to me). I reserve the right to be wrong, of course. “Slang Of Ages” – This is a quirky little tune. Quintessential Walter Becker. The verse about the iffy looking tabs makes me howl…”Roll with the homies”…really, Walter? “Green Book” – This is my favourite song on the album by a good country mile. Again, the doubled bass/guitar riff makes the song, as do the dueling solos between Becker and Fagen. The jazzy sounding bridge reminds me of “Aja”. Damned if I can figure out exactly what the song is about, though- given their twisted minds I don’t think I really wanna know what the Green Book is… “Pixieleen” – This song annoys the bejesus out of me. It has that same sort of “show tune” vibe that permeates some of the Kamakiriad material (mainly in the vocal arrangements) Couldn’t even make it all the way through the song when listening this morning, sorry! “Lunch With Gina” – This is a funny sort of song they actually deigned to resurrect on recent tours. Gina is clearly yet another damaged woman in a long line of Steely Dan damaged women- a familiar theme but the funky rhythm and Fagen’s twisted solo put a bit of a new slant on it. “Everything Must Go” – The album comes full circle with the title song, which begins with a long sax solo before devolving into –IMO- “The Last Mall, Part II”. I admit I turned this one off about halfway through as well… As I’ve mentioned in other Steely Dan discussions, I had to piece together my favourite songs off of Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go in order to make a Steely Dan album I can enjoy as much as I can the Classic Seven. I did this practically as soon I ripped the damn CD’s when I got ‘em from the library. And though for the purposes of this discussion I listened to the full albums for the first time in ten years, I still prefer my comp. My CDR comp is as follows: Gaslighting Abbie/What A Shame About Me/Blues Beach/Godwhacker/Green Book/Jack Of Speed/West Of Hollywood
A great curtain call…as much as I’d have liked another album from them, the title track is the most appropriate farewell song I’ve heard since Queen bowed out. The rest of the album is enjoyable, but also superficially lesser than its immediate predecessor, at least to start off. This mostly hinges around ‘Blues Beach’, which is the only Steely Dan song I can think of that has zero imagination or inventiveness. There’s nothing wrong with it, and the middle eight is delightful, but it’s just ordinary when it needs to be incredible. Everything around it is decent enough, but one strong song in place of ‘Blues Beach’ (fantasy suggestion ‘ ‘What I Do’, which I’ll rhapsodise over in the coming days…) would push this whole album up. ‘The Things I Miss The Most’ is pure Becker, and Fagen tackles the same post-breakup scenario in ‘I’m Not The Same Without You’- these two songs are good studies in how each approach things (me, I miss the good copper pans and the Eames chair). Saying that, the back half of this album is tremendous. ‘Green Book’ is second only to ‘West Of Hollywood’ as my favourite 21st Century Dan song - who wouldn’t want to tango into a smoky lobby where a Jill St John lookalike greets you? I love ‘Pixeleen’ for its Lara Croft concept, but have the most praise for ‘Lunch With Gina’. I know at least two Gina types, and despite dreading every encounter with them, they always do end up being a knockout. I often wonder if Gina is the same girl as in ‘Negative Girl’? Anyway, I’m glad this album exists. It does nothing to tarnish their reputation, and adds some delights to their already wonderful catalogue. I’ll no doubt offer up some sort of fantasy final Dan album from the three remaining solo LPs.
All relative, I know, but for me, it's their weaker album. It reminds me of Morph more than any other Dan-related album. Having said that, I received a press copy before it came out and played it every day but even then, never cared for the the title track or Pixeleen. Blues Beach, like H Gang, sounds like an attempt to get a song in the charts. Anyhow, as I said, it's all relative, here isn't a bad album here, I just feel this one disappoints me a little.
EMG is my least favorite SD album. I only spun it a couple times and that was when it was new, so I don't remember specifics other than I thought it was pretty dull.
I've always been fond of this album because of the truth-in-advertising. It really is everything they had left over, a few great bargains, some defective merchandise, some "seconds"--just like a real Going Out Of Business sale. One last clever conceit from the masters of clever conceits.
Of course, at the time they probably didn't realize that it would be their final album...or maybe they did. That Everything Must Go didn't sell anywhere near as well as their other albums must have taken some of the wind out of Becker and Fagen's sails.
I think they did know. It's amazing, actually, that they got together at all after 20 years. They'd both moved on from SD, and the music world had moved on from SD. I doubt if the poor sales surprised them at all. With a Going Out Of Business sale, you're just trying to make a few bucks off what's left before the rest goes in the dumpster.
Just a heads up, BOTH Amazon and Frys.com has the Aja Classic Albums documentary DVD on sale for $5.99 (free shipping for Prime members, and free shipping from Frys.com as well). I like the new packaging it comes in, a Blu-ray style case, but it's clear. Not trying to be an advertiser here, but that's a good price for this documentary, put your orders in before the price goes up again. Also, worth of note, Frys has most of the Steely Dan remastered CDs for $5 a pop, with the exception of Katy lied, which is out of stock, and yes free shipping for all of those as well, no minimum. I have some catching up on this thread to do, I've been having some serious family issues, nice to be back.
